1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hose reel and, more specifically, to a folding crank handle for a hose reel.
2. Background Information
Hose reel assemblies are devices structured to assist in transporting and using hoses, typically garden hoses for dispensing water. Generally, the hose reel assembly includes a base, frame, or housing assembly structured to rotatably support a reel, or “basket assembly.” The basket assembly's primary components are a barrel, around which an outlet hose is wrapped, two hubs which are coupled to the housing assembly, and guide plates which define the usable area of the barrel. The basket assembly also includes a crank, used to turn the basket primary components, and a water conduit having a movable outlet and a generally stationary inlet. The stationary inlet of the conduit extends away from the reel and is structured to be coupled to a supply hose which is further coupled to a water supply. The movable outlet of the conduit is disposed on the circumference of the reel. The outlet hose is coupled to the movable outlet and is used to deliver water to the end use. Hose reel assemblies also may include an autotrack device structured to wind the outlet hose on the reel in a controlled manner. In this configuration, an outlet hose may be coupled to the movable end of the conduit and, when the reel is rotated, the hose is wrapped, or unwrapped, about the reel. Thus, a hose may be transported and/or stored on the hose reel assembly.
The hose reel assembly, typically, is made of plastic and sold in a disassembled state. While manufacturers try to make the assembly of a typical hose reel relatively simple, there are many components of a hose reel assembly that are difficult for some users to install or assemble. As such, manufacturers try to include as many preinstalled components as possible. The disadvantage to having preinstalled components, however, is that some components, especially those like the crank handle that extend away from the body of the hose reel, require additional room in the shipping container and/or storage box. Accordingly, some manufacturers have devised structures that are partially collapsible, such as a folding crank handle, that reduce the volume/size of the hose reel during shipping. Unfortunately, these structures were also designed to snap into an extended position and not be collapsed again. Thus, the next generation of folding crank handles were structured to allow the user to release the crank handle so that the crank handle could be returned to the retracted position. The release devices, however, were typically hard to reach and difficult to actuate. For example, the folding crank handle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,670 used a pawl and detent locking device wherein the user was required to reach behind the handle to access a locking tab. Given that the handle is disposed immediately adjacent to the housing assembly, accessing the locking tab could be difficult.
There is, therefore, a need for a folding crank handle wherein the crank handle release device is easy to access.
There is a further need for a folding crank handle wherein the crank handle latching device is disposed on the outer surface of the crank assembly.